Hyphenation ofdevil's-walking-stick
Syllable Division:
dev-il's-walk-ing-stick
Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)
/ˈdɛvəlz ˈwɔkɪŋˌstɪk/
Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)
10011
Primary stress on the first syllable of 'devil' and 'walking', secondary stress on 'stick'. The '0' indicates unstressed syllables.
Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound
Open syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.
Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster. Possessive marker.
Closed syllable, vowel followed by a consonant.
Closed syllable, vowel followed by nasal consonant cluster.
Closed syllable, consonant cluster followed by a vowel and consonant.
Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)
Prefix:
Root: devil, walk, stick
Multiple roots forming a compound noun.
Suffix: 's
Genitive suffix indicating possession.
A North American shrub (Aralia spinosa) with large compound leaves and clusters of small white flowers, followed by dark purple berries. The stems are covered in prickles.
Examples:
"The forest floor was littered with fallen leaves from the devil's-walking-stick."
"Devil's-walking-stick is known for its medicinal properties."
Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features
Similar consonant-vowel structure and stress pattern.
Similar compound structure, stress on the first element.
Similar compound structure, stress on the first element.
The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end
Vowel-Consonant Division
Syllables are typically divided between vowel sounds and consonant sounds.
Compound Word Division
Compound words are divided between their constituent parts.
Possessive 's'
The possessive 's' is treated as a separate syllable.
Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure
The possessive 's' is an edge case. The compound nature of the word requires careful consideration of morphemic boundaries.
Summary:
The word 'devil's-walking-stick' is a compound noun divided into five syllables: dev-il's-walk-ing-stick. Primary stress falls on 'dev' and 'walk', with secondary stress on 'stick'. Syllable division follows vowel-consonant and compound word rules, with the possessive 's' treated as a separate syllable.
Detailed Analysis:
Linguistic Analysis of "devil's-walking-stick" (US English)
1. Pronunciation: The word is pronounced approximately as /ˈdɛvəlz ˈwɔkɪŋˌstɪk/.
2. Syllable Division: The syllable division, adhering to the rule of using only original letters, is: dev-il's-walk-ing-stick
3. Morphemic Analysis:
- devil: Root. Old English dēofol meaning "evil spirit." Morphological function: Noun, denoting the source of the name.
- 's: Suffix. Genitive marker indicating possession. Origin: Old English. Morphological function: Possessive.
- walking: Root. Present participle of the verb "walk." Origin: Old English wealcan. Morphological function: Adjective, describing the stick's characteristic.
- stick: Root. Old English sticca meaning "stem, branch." Morphological function: Noun, the object being described.
4. Stress Identification: Primary stress falls on the first syllable of "devil" and the first syllable of "walking". Secondary stress falls on "stick".
5. Phonetic Transcription: /ˈdɛvəlz ˈwɔkɪŋˌstɪk/
6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:
- dev: /dɛv/ - Open syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant. Exception: The 'v' is a voiced fricative, which can sometimes lead to a slight lengthening of the vowel.
- il's: /ɪlz/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by consonant cluster ('ls'). The apostrophe indicates the possessive 's.
- walk: /wɔk/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by a consonant.
- ing: /ɪŋ/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Vowel followed by nasal consonant cluster ('ng').
- stick: /stɪk/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Consonant cluster ('st') followed by a vowel and consonant.
7. Edge Case Review: The possessive "'s" is a common edge case. It's treated as a syllable, even though it's a grammatical marker. The compound nature of the word also presents a slight complexity, but the standard syllable division rules apply consistently.
8. Grammatical Role: The word functions as a noun phrase. Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of whether it's used as a subject, object, or part of a larger phrase.
9. Definition & Semantics:
- Definition: A North American shrub (Aralia spinosa) with large compound leaves and clusters of small white flowers, followed by dark purple berries. The stems are covered in prickles.
- Grammatical Category: Noun (compound noun)
- Synonyms: Hercules' club, prickly ash
- Antonyms: (None applicable - it's a specific plant)
- Examples: "The forest floor was littered with fallen leaves from the devil's-walking-stick." "Devil's-walking-stick is known for its medicinal properties."
10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations: Some regional variations might slightly alter the vowel sounds (e.g., /ɛv/ instead of /dɛv/), but the syllable division remains the same.
11. Phonological Comparison:
- blacksmith: black-smith (similar consonant-vowel structure, stress pattern)
- firefly: fire-fly (similar compound structure, stress on the first element)
- headache: head-ache (similar compound structure, stress on the first element)
The syllable division in "devil's-walking-stick" is consistent with these examples, following the principle of dividing between vowel sounds. The compound nature of all these words dictates a division between the constituent parts.
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In compound terms like 'check-in', the hyphen clarifies relationships between words. It also assists in breaking words at line ends, preserving flow and understanding, such as in 'tele-communication'. Hyphenation rules vary; some words lose their hyphens with common usage (e.g., 'email' from 'e-mail'). It's an evolving aspect of language, with guidelines differing across style manuals. Understanding hyphenation improves writing quality, making it an indispensable tool in effective communication.